ServiceThe key to maximising return on
investment
New productsTerminal mounted scanners
and Yuno terminal
LoyaltyManaging loyalty programmes
with your POS
THE VALUE OF STYLE
T UCH IT NEWS BUSINESS
J2 SPRING NEWSLETTER 2014
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU ^
Performance is an interesting concept.
We often talk about performance in very many different contexts.
Sometimes it is to do with our own personal behaviour, a product or a business. Each has its own criteria for the judgement of performance but often these three areas rely on each other.
J2 Retail Systems has finished the first half of the financial year that saw immense growth which is considered, from a business perspective, to be excellent. Our owners are justifiably appreciative of the businesses performance.
But the major contributing factor to our performance is people.
J2 employ some of the world’s greatest POS terminal designers. These guys are considered to be world leading as they have introduced new concepts which have led to improved performance and reliability of our products and also furthered the industry through technical leadership.
Our products now have a strong track record of performance which is a direct result of our design expertise.
We are receiving favourable praise from customers who have been happy with our response to service requests and advice. This is an area we have focused on in our business with the key aspect being the people we have working for us and their expertise. Our technical staff are amongst the most experienced in Australia. We have built a lean nimble organisation that can adapt to customer requirements.
So in an industry where we focus on performance and reliability it is not the hardware that creates the outcome but the people behind the hardware. At J2 we are very lucky to have the people that focus on performance in every aspect and this is why I believe J2 has become one of the largest providers of POS terminals in the Australian market.
In this latest installment of our newsletter you will find out more about some new products but also we look at services around your hardware that can help you maximise your investment and look at the changing style of POS installations.
We hope your run to the end of the year is a strong one and wish you all the best.
Yours sincerely,
Phillip WildGeneral Manager
WELCOME
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU SPRING 2014
NEWS
J2 Retail Systems parent company, Aures Group, has recorded a record first half of results with sales up 23% to USD41 million.
The integration of J2 Retail Systems operations has greatly contributed to this great sales result.
The Australian J2 operations were the shining light with a 53.3% increase in sales, the largest increase of all J2 offices globally.
The Australian sales figure has come in a time of economic instability which further highlights the amazing effort of the Australian team.
J2 has appointed well known retail technology distribution business, Sektor, as their New Zealand distributor.
Sektor has established a leading distribution business in New Zealand and was deemed to be best placed to represent J2 moving forward. Their experienced staff and reach across New Zealand is set to take J2 to new heights across the ditch.
Early signs have been positive and the team at J2 look forward to supporting Sektor in the New Zealand market.
J2 is hitting the corporate social
media arena with the establishment
of a LinkedIn page.
The new page aims to provide
another avenue for J2 to
communicate with customers and
the wider retail technology industry.
J2 will share information as it arise via the LinkedIn page.
To connect with J2 on LinkedIn visit www.linkedin.com/company/j2-
retail-systems-australia and follow the page.
AURES GROUP SOARING ON FIRST HALF RESULTS
J2 APPOINTS NEW DISTRIBUTOR IN NZ
CONNECT WITH J2 ON LINKEDIN
PRODUCT SHOWCASE
New Clip on 1D and 2D scanners suitable for use with the J2 625, 680, 680L and Sango terminals are now available from J2.
These compact scanners easily mount to the front side of the terminals as well as on selected customer displays making them perfect for customer interaction directly with loyalty programs.
Both the 1D and 2D scanners feature quality Honeywell scan engines that provide high speed and accurate scanning.
The 1D scanner model offers high speed scanning of conventional barcodes, even the most difficult to read. Thanks to it’s in built movement sensor, the 1D scanner switches automatically into standby mode when not in use, for improved energy saving.
A new super stylish POS terminal is about to hit our shores.
First it was the Sango with its revolutionary offset terminal design and aluminium exo-skeleton and now we have the next instalment in the Aures range of high style POS solutions in the Yuno.
The Yuno is a compact, heavy duty, integrated POS terminal that is at home in retail or hospitality environments.
An offset base gives the Yuno a modern look but this terminal is not just about style.
You can choose from a 15.1”, 4:3 ratio screen or a 15.6”, 16:9 wide screen with both offering a flat, edgeless, projected capacitive touch panel.
Processing power comes from a high
The 2D imager scanner will read both 1D and 2D barcode scanners for the ultimate in versatility. It even scans 2D barcodes off smartphone screens.
The scanners can be adjusted to scan at different angles and they integrate neatly to the terminals.
Compact, versatile and powerful makes the J2 1D and 2D terminal mounted scanners a perfect scanning solution.
For more information contact J2 Retail Systems.
performance quad core Bay Trail CPU that not only provides ample processing power for most applications but fanless operation.
The Yuno comes standard with 4GB RAM and a 64GB Solid State Drive with the ability to upgrade both specifications.
A full complement of ports are available for peripheral connectivity including 6 USB ports, 4 serial ports with options for 5/12V powered ports, connectivity for second displays and cash drawer port.
Options include an MSR, fingerprint reader, 2x20 line customer display, WiFi and a 10” customer display.
If you like the style of the Yuno but just want it as a touch monitor you are in luck as it also comes in a touch monitor only version.
Thanks to the all-in-the-head design, the Yuno can be mounted to a wall or pole via a VESA mount and you also have the choice of a white or black colour scheme.
1D and 2D Terminal Mounted Scanners
Yuno
A compact yet powerful scanning solution
Who said a POS terminal needs to be boring and you must agree that the Yuno is nothing but stylish.
For further information on the Yuno contact J2 Retail Systems.
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU SPRING 2014
Managing loyalty programmes with your POS
As technology progressed, the role of the POS systems has expanded to encompass a range of added business functions with the most prominent being the management of loyalty campaigns.
Managing loyalty programs is not a new concept. Initially being offered as standalone hardware solutions that used telephone lines to manage the back end processes, the shift has been made to integrate loyalty management into POS software.
The fundamentals of loyalty programmes is quite simple conceptually but challenging technically.
Firstly you need to be able to sign up loyalty member to your programme.
Once a member has signed up to your programme you need to be able to identify them and track their purchases and reward them for their loyalty.
Rewards for loyalty can come in multiple ways but let’s take a closer look at how your POS solution may be able to assist in managing loyalty programmes.
There is no better place to sign up customers to your loyalty programme than at the point of sale. If the sign up process is simple then the take up rate will be even greater.
The use of customer touch screen displays can provide a great
solution for customers to sign up to your loyalty programme.
Customers can complete the sign up process directly to the POS system by typing in their details ensuring the information is correct and the staff can continue to process the sale or pack purchases without delay.
Once a customer has signed up to the loyalty programme, a magnetic card can be printed or posted at a later date to the customer that will aid in the quick tracking of the users purchases.
When the loyalty member returns to the store and is at the point of sale, the customer can easily be identified by either scanning a barcode on a loyalty card or using a magnetic stripe reader or by entering their name via a customer touch enabled touch screen.
The customer display can also be used to promote loyalty benefits to customers and even allow loyalty members to check their loyalty status.
For those with multiple store locations, managing loyalty across multiple sites can be technically challenging. Using your POS system, that may already be networked to other locations, to transport loyalty information is not only quick and easy for operators but maintains integrity of data across all stores and provides the loyalty member with a seamless service no matter where they are purchasing. For
those with online stores, with some smart programming it could be possible to link online purchases to in store purchases, providing greater value to the loyalty programme.
A new trend is to manage loyalty communications through mobile phones. Sending loyalty club members with special offers to their mobile devices is a simple way to entice additional sales. Sending a 2D barcode to a phone enables in store staff to determine who is eligible to receive the special offer at the scan of a barcode.
Readily available 2D barcode scanners that are capable of scanning from mobile devices is required. The new J2 2D scanner that mounts to a terminal or customer display is the perfect solution as it is a neat and tidy solution for customers.
Do yourself a favour by using your POS solution to help you manage your loyalty programmes as well as maximising your POS investment.
For more information contact J2 Retail Systems.
When POS systems were first developed, the focus was on processing sales and managing inventory but that is changing.
FEATURE
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU SPRING 2014
The value of
Style is a complex phenomenon.
Not only is the judgement of style a very subjective concept, it poses questions as to what role style plays in retail.
Furthermore, what role does the POS play in achieving a certain style?
What we do know is that retailers take the style of their stores very seriously.
A visit to your local shopping centre is testament to the efforts that retailers go to create a style that compliments their products and business brand.
If we strip the style concept back to its basic level by thinking about why retailers pay attention to the style of their store we need to look at human behaviour.
We know that a neat environment is more attractive to the eye. It makes it easier for people to understand what is being offered, find the products they require and can attract attention to products.
A messy store is the antitheses of good visual merchandising practices.
When we look at the concept of branding we think about how the look of a store can create an aura around the business. For example, the choice of colours in store and the layout of the store must support the brand.
The choice of bright colours or earthy tones conjures different emotions and it is these emotions that get attached to your brand.
Various flavours of style exist around the world but in western cultures the dominant force is coming from Europe. It is no coincidence that the majority of fashion design houses are located in Europe with Italy and France the predominant leaders.
The European culture embraces high style whether it be for cars, clothing and even POS terminals.
style
In Australia, our sense of style is strongly influenced by European trends but maybe Australia’s distance from Europe has dulled our own sense of style and want to achieve a certain standard in style.
A competitive retail environment, derived from a relatively small population, a diverse multicultural society and many sellers has placed particular emphasis on the style of retail stores in Australia.
Creating your businesses own style is a key way to differentiate yourself from competitors but some thought is required.
Businesses that do it best consider every aspect of what it will take to create its own sense of style.
The colour of the walls, design of furniture, layout of counters, imagery displayed on the walls, textures and finishes, flooring,
lighting are all common components a store designer must consider.
But what about the Point of Sale system?
When you look at the history of POS systems there has been very minimal change. Computer terminals have not greatly shifted in style in the past 15 years.
Grey has been the predominant colour for terminals. Grey is a middle of the road colour that can adapt to many store colour palettes but the times are changing.
As retailers strive to improve their visual appearance, more and more are looking at what other options are available in POS terminals that can compliment high style environments.
We have seen some retailers hide computers under counters or
THE VALUE OF STYLE
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU SPRING 2014
As retailers strive to improve their visual appearance, more and more are looking at what
options are available in POS terminals that can compliment high style environments.
place PC’s in cabinets, but this can provide its own set of issues such as heat management and lack of touch screen ability.
The POS industry is adapting to the greater need for retailers to take a more stylish approach to their POS hardware.
A worldwide leader in the design style of POS terminals is the Aures Group, the parent company of J2 Retail Systems.
Based in France, Aures is in the heart of style and one of their main focuses is in building high performance, high style POS terminals.
Aures is supporting the European demand for high style POS terminals and won’t let technical challenges get in the way.
If you take a look at the latest POS offerings from Aures you will see products such as the Sango and the all new Yuno. These POS terminals provide a revolutionary layout that oozes European fashion.
The Sango style is not just about its offset mounted monitor but in the finishing of surfaces. It mixes matt aluminium with high gloss plastics. It comes in eight different colours allowing terminals to be customised to suit specific store colour schemes.
Aures does not stop at the POS terminal. A coordinated set of peripherals including printers, scanners and receipt printers is also developed to create uniformity across all visible POS components.
Uniformity is a familiar trend when it comes to style. A mismatch of colours and styles works against the attractiveness of most things. Imagine a car that had one red and one yellow door with a green bonnet and black roof?
When the design theme, surfaces and the colour of peripherals match the POS terminal then a stylish combination is developed that now can add value to the style of a store rather than purely being seen as a functional aspect of a store.
Aures has won numerous product design awards in recognition of its high style approach.
Just because a POS terminal looks good doesn’t mean that it is down on performance or high in price. The Aures solutions
provide a great combination of form and function. The Aures approach is to value the design just as much as the performance and when combined provides a more valuable POS solution.
Next time you are thinking about how you can enhance the style of your store then consider the look of your POS solution.
Contact J2 Retail Systems for information about the Aures range of solutions available.
SERVICE THE KEY TO MAXIMISING RETURN ON INVESTMENT
EDUCATION
Hardware selection
From our experience, the choice in what hardware to select for your business is not as simple as it seems. Not only does it take time to evaluate the options but time to determine what are the precise needs of the business both now and in the future.
Not all people are computer gurus that are up to speed with all the feeds and speeds of available hardware and some are not quite sure what they should be looking for.
This is where a POS provider may be able to assist.
You may be sceptical of working closely with a POS provider thinking that their advice may be a little bias but the experience of most is that a POS provider can supply valuable information allowing you to make a more informed decision.
A POS company can work with you to determine your needs taking into considerations points such as, software requirements, architecture of the installation, budget, peripheral requirements and performance aims.
This valuable service can make the difference between selecting the right
A POS installation can be small with only one terminal or hundreds but no matter the size, maximising the investment in hardware is imperative.
Some might say why is it imperative? The answer is simple. Every investment in business technology must seek to add value to an organisation.
There is a plethora of hardware to choose from but maximising the investment often comes down to the services that relate to the selection of hardware, installation and post installation support.
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU SPRING 2014
EDUCATION
hardware and not and to add greater value, this service generally comes as a free service to prospective buyers so is a must for those seeking guidance.
Installation
You’ve chosen your hardware and now you need to get it into your business.
POS resellers can provide a range of services that can save you both time and money in what can seem a daunting task.
Software can be preloaded onto terminals prior to shipping onsite for final configuration. Not only is the operating system loaded but all necessary software as specified by the client as well as a burn in process to confirm that the terminal is working as it should.
You can also have your POS vendor manage the delivery of hardware to your locations which is a handy service for those with multiple sites.
In cases where new hardware is replacing old, your POS vendor can assist with decommissioning old systems by taking out old equipment, deleting data from all hard drives and if required disposal of hardware in environmentally friendly ways.
Post installation support
Once your system is up and running it is not the end of involvement with your POS vendor for those that truly seek to maximise their investment.
POS vendors can provide asset tracking services not only by providing asset tags to hardware but via electronic means. Details of the hardware are stored including installation location and warranty status. These records can be accessed as required.
The most popular post installation service is onsite warranty. There has been a resurgence in onsite warranty services as retailers and hospitality businesses aim to maximise their system uptime.
An onsite warranty provides a responsive onsite service by a technician who can attempt to resolve any issues.
Onsite warranty services can be configured to provide a service that suits the business. For example, if you require a same day repair then it can be provided but the trade-off will be an increase in cost. Qualified technicians carry out the necessary work on not only POS terminals but also other POS peripherals.
Most onsite warranty services are charged as a per terminal monthly charge giving you the ability to manage budgets with set costs.
J2 Retail Systems works with clients to provide all or a combination of these services. In recent years the trend towards seeking additional services has grown which is testament to the value they provide.
Give the team at J2 a call to find out more about the services they can provide that can help maximise your return on investment.
Phone: (02) 9584 5222 Email: [email protected]
J2RETAILSYSTEMS.COM.AU
Every care has been taken in compiling the contacts of this newsletter, but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom. J2 Retail Systems do not accept any responsibility arising in any way (including negligence) for errors in, or omissions from,
the information provided in TOUCH newsletter. All information was correct at the time of print.
